Timer for concrete mixers



Feb. 11, 1936. E. c. GARBER ET AL TIMER FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Filed Jan. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

v z. c. Garbr and .7%R.J)7Dermott,

Fe. 11, 1936. E, c GARBER AL 2,030,747

TIMER FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Filed Jan. 25, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. C. Gar-be?" ancZ 314R. JYlDzrmott;

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 iJETE STAES PATENT OFFICE TIMER FOR CONCRETE MIXERS Ernest 0.

Waterloo, Iowa,

Gather and Harold R. McDermott,

assignors to Construction Ma- Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in timers and counters for use on rotary batch mixers, and an object of our improvements is to supply for such a mixer, devices in coaction for the above purposes, being simple, inexpensive and effective in use.

Another object of our improvements is to provide in the mechanism means for manually adjusting the timing elements as may be desired, including the provision of a signaling mechanism to announce the completion of mixing of a batch.

Another object of our improvements is to include in the combined mechanisms also a counting means for the batches, and also arranged for operation at the completion of mixing of each batch.

Another object of our improvements is to combine with said devices auxiliary locking means for the tiltable discharge spout of the mixer.

All of these objects we have accomplished by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of our invention, with 7 parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof also with portions broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a rotary batch mixer, displaying the association therewith of our improved timer and counter, with the locking device for the discharge spout of the mixer, and with all of these in locked condition, a portion of the mixer skip being broken away.

The side elevation shown in said Fig. 4 is conventional as to the rotary mixer, whose structures are Well known in this art. In the mixer a mixing drum with ported heads is shown at "H, and is rotatably mounted in a supporting frame composed of rigidly connected basal beams 54, front and rear corner posts 14 and 52 with top connecting bars 15. Polygonal plates at the rear of the structure at 57 are mounted on the rear posts 52 and top bars 15, and upon the hither bar 15 and front post 14 is secured a laterally projecting bracket l3 upon which is mounted removably the housing for our invention.

The mixer has the usual tiltable skip 56 hinged on pintles 54 through depending fixed arms 55, with the discharge mouth of the skip adapted to deliver materials to be mixed into the rear open flanged receiving port Ell of the drum 1|, the pintles 54 also traversing brackets 53 mounted on the rear posts 52. On one hither side wall of the skip 56 is secured a contact plate 56' for a purpose to be described. 5? is rotatably mounted a sheave 58, and a cable 59 is reeved thereover, being connected to the skip and to be moved by means not shown, usually a motor, to lift the skip to its discharging posi- 5 tion shown in Fig. 4.

The mixer has also the usual discharge spout 69 whose rear portion extends into the front central port of the drum H, and this spout may be manually tilted up or down by the usual means 10 shown in Fig. 4. This means includes a transverse rock-shaft having an end crank 65 and mounted in a bracketed bearing 64 secured on a front post 14. On the shaft is fixed a curvate arm 6'! which is pivoted at its outer end to a 5 curvate link-bar t8, whose lower end is pivoted at 70 to one side wall of the spout. Upon the crank-shaft mentioned above is also fixed an arm 66.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the upper 2 part of the housing I has bearing apertures 2 in line longitudinally in its end walls seating slidably the locking bar 6 which has on its hither side face the longitudinally disposed catch IS with squared rear end and the locking bar has on its opposite side wall to the rear of the catch 19 a laterally disposed pin or spring stop I!) which engages the rear end of a longitudinally disposed coil compression spring 48 seated in a chamber 49 alongside the locking bar. In the rear end of said chamber is placed a shorter coiled compression or cushion spring 50, engageable at times with the adjacent end of the stop 10, to cushion the locking bar at the rear portion of its rearward movement. The rear end of the bar 6 has furcations 5 apertured to receive a pintle bolt 4 and on which the downturned end of a swingable arm 3 is pivoted for vertical swinging, the arm having a head 3' engageable by the plate 56' when the skip 56 is rocking to its dischar ng position.

The forward end of the locking bar 6 has furcations 2E3 apertured to receive a pintle bolt 2? on which is pivoted the upper end of a bellcrank lever 22, which at its angle is pivotally mounted on a bracket 6|, the other arm of the lever at 62 having an angular projection 63 which may. be swung into the path of forward rocking of said fixed arm 66 on the crank-shaft operated manually at its crank 65. In the positions of these parts shown in Fig. 4, the discharge spout 59 is thus locked in its upper or non-discharging position during the rotary mixing operation of the drum l5 The top of the housing I has a medial upright On the polygonal plate boss I l upon which may be mounted a signal bell 13 on a screw M, the bell being sounded by a clapper 9, headed, and whose stem'seats slidably in a hole in the housing top to project downwardly into the housing and into a recess with arcuate bottom contactingly in the top of the said locking bar 6. Below said recess another recess 8 is provided in the bottom of the bar for a purpose to be disclosed.

The numeral 24 denotes a locking bar latch having its upper end entering a squared socket H2 in the boss H, and the lower part. of this latch bar is seated in a like squared socket in an erect boss 23 within the housing on its bottom floor, said socketalso opening on one side. 31 is a single coil spring having one end secured to one side wall of the housing and with its other end bent to enter a hole in the lower part, of the said latch oblique aperture 25 traversed by the latch bar 24 loosely, and diagonally opposite rear and forward upper and lower angles of the bar may at times bite upon the abutting faces of the latch bar, when the clutch bar is swung downwardly only by means to be described.

In the rear end of the clutch bar 26 a threaded aperture is traversed by a screw 28 whose upper end contacts with the under face of a rigid housing bracket 29, for the purpose of adjustably varying the swinging play of the clutch bar.

The numeral 32 denotes a link-bar depending swingingly from a pivotal connection 27 to the forward end of the clutch bar 26 and having its lower end pivotally mounted on a crank-pin. 33 on a head 34 secured on the diminished end part 35 of a rock shaft 39 mounted in oppositely directed bearing bosses 35 and 38 on the lower part of the farther side wall of the housing l. A coiled tension spring 3| connects the lower end part 'of the link-bar 32 to a depending projection 35 on the forward end of the clutch bar 2s to keep the link-bar away from its dead center. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 without the housing I a sleeve 49 is fixed on the projecting part of the rock-shaft 39, and carries a lever arm 41 on whose rear end is mounted a tread wheel 42 rotatably between stop rings. 7

Referring now to said Fig. 3, the numeral 4] denotes a horizontally projecting stop on the lower end of the locking bar latch 24. At the hither side of the housing a threaded standard M has its upper end seated in the bracket part 29 and its lower end in the bottom of the housing. A circular nut 45 is seated on the standard 44 and may be adjustably shifted up or down therealong and heldin an adjusted position by a set-screw 43 in the path of upward movement of the stop lug s'l of the latch 24.

In Fig. 1 is shown within the housing I a counting device It on whose rotary shaft ii is a crank I6 pivoted to a headless pin i5 whose upper end extends into the said arcuate socket 8 in the bottom of the locking bar 6.

As before stated, Fig. a shows the mechanisms in their locked positions. When the skip tit is lowered, the head 3 of the swinging arm 3 is released from the edge of the stop plate 58 after following it for a distance under compulsion of the spring 48, as the spring reacts against the stoppin l0. As the bar 6 moves rearwardly its stop pin engages and is cushioned by the short spring 5%. Also the bell crank lever 22 and #52 is swung to lift the engaging finger 63 to cause it to leave the path of movement forwardly of the fixed arm 63 '26 is a clutch bar having an upwardly directed on the crank-shaft, and at the proper time the crank 65 may be rocked over to cause its connec tions to swing downwardy the spout 69 to a discharging position. 7

However, Figs. 1 to 3 show the relative positions of the parts of the device at the moment when the locking bar 6 is at the limit of its forward stroke, compressing the spring i8, and its catch just disengaged from. above the upper end of the latch bar 24, so that the latter has moved up past the abutting end of the catch iii toits uppermost position, where the resilience of the spring 48 keeps the end of the catch in holding contact with the latch'bar, the latter being also held up by the reaction of the lower coiled spring 31. The crank shaft in front being locked, the operator starts the drum Ii in rotation, and the arcuate boss l2. on the drum passes contactingly under and swings upthe tread-wheel 42 and lever arm 4 l, the latter rocking the shaft 39 and the crankpin 33 by means of the link-bar 32 swinging doWhwardly the clutch bar 2?, the opposite angular edges of the wall of the aperture 25 engaging the V latch 2 and moving downwardly the latch bar while compressing the spring 37. passes by the frictionally contacting end of the catch is slidingly during this operation, but when the arm 4! is swung downwardly after passing over the boss E2, the clutch bar 26 is thereby swung upwardly, the latch 24 then being released by the angular jaws of the clutch bar, but the frictional contact of the catch with the latch remains sufficient to retain the latch in its lowered position without being returned by the spring 3L' Before starting the drum in rotation however, the operator adjusts the nut 45 at a desired height onthe standard M, so that the downward travel of the latch bar 2 3 is adjusted for the timing required.

When the latch bar arrives at its lowermost position, its upper end clears the abutting end of the catch 59, releasing the locking bar 6, the spring 48 suddenly reacting to shift the bar 6 back but cushioned by the spring 59. bar starts back both of the stems of the clapper 9 and push-rod iii are driven out of the recesses l and B respectively, the former ringing the bell signal 13, while the other causes the actuation of the counter It to count one more batch mixed. The returning locking bar at this time rocks the lever 22 to release the arm 65, so that the crank shaft may be usedto shift the spout 69 to discharge the batch.

Various modifications 'in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of the apparatus and its connections may be made without The latch 24 When the looking jaws loosely embracing said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, said bar being controlled to cause saidlug to end-engage and fractionally brake the standard to hold the latter at times when it is released by said jaws, and said lug being adapted to be released from the standard when the latter has passed from its path to permit the resilient control of the bar to propel it across the adjacent end of the standard in unlocking the bar.

2, In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having a side lug, a reciprocatory standard, resiliently controlled, mounted alongside said bar to cross the path of the lug in a direction at a right angle to the bar, a rock-arm, resiliently controlled, having relatively staggered jaws loosely embracing said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, means for adjustably limiting the scope of swinging movement of the rock-arm, the resilient control of said bar causing said lug to frictionally end-engage the standard to hold the latter at times when it is released by said jaws, said lug becoming released from the standard when the latter has passed from its path to permit the resilient control of the bar to propel it across the adjacent end of the standard in unlocking the bar, and means for cushioning said bar at the end part of said movemen 3. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having a side lug, a reciprocatory resiliently controlled standard mounted alongside said bar to cross the path of the lug in a direction at a right angle to the bar, a resiliently controlled rock-arm having relatively staggered jaws loosely embracing said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, means for adjustably limiting the scope of swinging movement of the rock-arm, said bar being resiliently controlled to cause said lug toend-engage the standard to hold the latter at times when it is released by said jaws, said lug being adapted to become released from the standard when the latter has passed from its path to permit the resilient control of the bar to propel it across the adjacent end of the standard in unlocking the bar, said bar having therealong a pair of depressions,- a coun 'ng device having a member ridable upon the bar and into or out of one depression for actuating the device by steps, and a signaling device having an element also ridable upon the bar and into or out of the other depression for actuating the signal device when the bar is unlocked.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, a housing, mechanism therein including in combination a resiliently controlled reciprocatory' bar having a side lug, a resiliently controlled standard mounted alongside said bar to cross the path of the lug in a direction at a right angle to the bar, a resiliently controlled rock-arm having relatively staggered jaws loosely embracing said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, means for rocking said rock-arm, said bar being controlled to cause said lug to end-engage the standard to hold the latter at times when it is released by said jaws, a screw mounted in the rock-arm and fulcrumed housing for adjusting the scope of rocking movement of the rock-arm, and said lug being adapted to be released from the standard when the latter has passed from its path to permit the resilient control of the bar to propel it across the adjacent end of the standard in unlocking the bar.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having engaging means thereon, a resiliently controlled standard mounted adjacent said bar to cross the path of said engaging means, a resiliently controlled rock-arm having ratcheting means fixed thereon loosely related to said standard to grip and move opposite walls thereof and then release it by steps, means for adjustaloly limiting the scope of movement of the rock-arm, said bar means to permit the bar being controlled to cause said engaging means to engage said standard at times when the standard is released by the ratcheting means, means for rocking said rock-arm, and said engaging means being adapted to be released from the standard when the latter has passed from the path of said means to permit the resilient control of. the bar to propel the said means across the adjacent end of the standard in unlocking the bar.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having engaging means thereon, a resiliently controlled standard mounted adjacent said bar to cross the path of said engaging-means, a rock-arm having ratcheting means thereon loosely related to said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, said bar being controlled to cause said engaging means to engage said standard at times when the standard is released by the ratcheting means, said engaging means being adapted to become released from the standard when the latter has passed from the path of the engaging the engaging means across the standard, said bar having a depression, and a counting device having an operating member ridable upon the bar and into or out of said depression for actuating the device by steps.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having engaging means thereon, a standard mounted for reciprocation adjacent said bar to cross the path of said engaging means, an adjustably fulcrumed rock-arm having ratcheting means thereon loosely related to said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, said bar being controlled to cause said engaging means to engage said standard is released being adapted to become released from the standard when the latter has passed from the path of the engaging means to permit the bar to be propelled to carry the engaging means across the standard, said bar having other engaging means, a signaling device, and an element ridable upon the bar and operable by the engaging means for actuating the signal.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatcry bar having engaging means thereon, a resiliently controlled standard mounted adjacent said bar to cross the path of the engaging means, a rock-arm having ratcheting means thereon loosely related to said.

standard to grip and move and then release it .1

by steps, a fixed body, a. screw rotatably mounted on the free end of the rock-arm to end-engage the fixed body to adjustably limit the swing of the rock-arm, said bar being controlled to cause said engaging means to engage said standard at times when the standard is released by the ratcheting means, said engaging means being adapted to become released from the standard when the latter has passed from the path of the engaging means to permit the bar to be propelled to carry the engaging means across the standard, said bar having in opposite longitudinal edges cam depressions, a signaling device, an element ridable upon the bar and operabie by one of said depressions for actuating the signal, and a counting device having an operating member ridabie to be propelled to carry upon the bar and operable by the other of said 7' depressions for actuating the counting device by steps. 9. In a mechanism of the character described,

rock-arm,

discharge action of a mixing machine, means for setting said locking bar in locking'postion,

from the path of the engaging means to permit the bar to be propelled to carry the engaging means across the standard, resiliently controlled pivotally connected elements for rocking said means for adjustably limiting the scope of movement of said standard, and adjustable stop means mounted on the rock-arm to limit the swing of its free end in one direction by engagement with an abutting fixed body.

10. In a mechanism of the character described, a resiliently controlled reciprocatory bar having engaging means thereon, a resiliently controlled standard mounted adjacent said bar to cross the path of the engaging means, a rock-arm, having oppositely toothed ratcheting means thereon loosely related to said standard to grip and move and then release it by steps, said bar being controlled to cause said engaging means to engage said standard at times when the standard is released by the ratcheting means, said engaging means being adapted to become released from the standard when the latter has passed from the path of the engagingmeans to permit the bar to be propelled to carry the engaging means across the standard, resiliently controlled means for linkedly rocking the rock-arm, means for ad justably limiting the scope of movement of said standard, adjustable stop means mounted on the rock-arm to limit the swing of its free end in one direction by engagement with an abutting fixed body, means for cushioning the reciprocatory bar at one end, and said bar having engaging means, separated from each other, for actuating in the one case an operating member of a counting device, and in another case a concussion element for actuating a signaling device.

11. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination, a sliding lock bar, parts controlled by said lock bar-for locking the discharge of a mixing machine, a member normally tending to move the lock bar to a releasing position in respect to its locking function, a latch member operating releasably and rectilineally to the lock bar to hold the lock bar in locking position, and instrumentalities operable by a mixing machine during its mixing cycle to intermittently actuate the latch member until it reaches a position disengaged from the lock bar in respect to its locking action, whereby the lock bar may move automatically to a released position, said last mentioned instrumentalities including a mixing drum operated rocker lever, a pivoted clutch member coacting with the latch member, and connecting means between the rocker lever and said pivoted clutch member, the pivoted clutch member comprising spaced jaws between which the latch member is received, one 9f the said jaws having intermittent releasing and clutching cooperation with the latch member.

12. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination, a locking bar for preventing the a latch member coacting with the locking bar to hold it in locking position for a predetermined time, a clutch bar cooperating with the latch member for moving the latter to release the lock bar, an instrumentality normally tending tomove the latch member into cooperation with the looking bar, and a device operable by a mixing device to intermittently actuate the clutch bar and thereby transmit movement to the latch member until it reaches its position releasing the locking bar, a signal, and a striker for the signal arranged rectilineally of the lock bar, the said lock bar having a earning element to operate said striker upon release movement of the lock bar,

13. In a mechanism of the character described,

a in combination, a locking bar for preventing the discharge action of a mixing machine, means for setting said locking bar in a locking position, a latch member coacting with the locking bar to hold it in looking position for a predetermined time, a clutch bar cooperating with the latch member for moving the latter to release the lock car, an instrumentality normally tending to move the latch member into cooperation with the lock ing bar, and a device operable by a mixing device to intermittently actuate the clutch bar and "thereby transmit movement to the latch member until it reaches its position releasing the locking bar, a counter, a part for actuating the counter arranged rectilineally of the lock bar, said lock bar having a caming element to actuate the last mentioned part on release movement of the lock bar.

14. In a timer for a rotary batch mixer, in combination, a resiliently controlled locking bar mounted for limited to and fro movements and having an ofiset laterally extending lug thereon,

a resiliently controlled stop-bar positioned for to and fro displacements across one side of the locking bar in the path of said lug, a resiliently controlled ratcheting arm, swingable, and having a transverse aperture with staggered teeth on opposite Walls thereof, said stop-bar loosely traversing said aperture, means for adjusting the scope of swinging movement of said arm, and

' means for actuating said arm, in ratcheting the stop-bar in one direction by steps, the locking bar having opposite edge depressions for at times coacting with actuating parts of a signaling device and a counting device.

15. In a timer for a rotary batch mixer, in combination, a resiliently controlled locking bar mounted for limited to and fro movement and having an offset laterally extending lug thereon, a resiliently controlled stop-bar positioned for to and fro displacements across one side of the locking bar in the path of said lug, a resiliently controlled ratcheting arm, swingable, and having a transverse aperture with staggered teeth on opposite walls thereof, said stop-bar loosely trav ersing said aperture, means for adjusting the scope of movement of saidarm, means for actuating said arm in ratcheting said stop-bar by steps releasably, and means for adjustably limiting the scope of movement of said stop-bar, consisting of a lug thereon, a fixed threaded standard and a nut mounted on said standard in the path of movement of said lug.

ERNEST C. GA'RBER. HAROLD R. MCDERMOT'IZ' 

